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Hello, welcome to the analyst inside cricket with me, Simon Hughes.

And I'm Simon Mann.

And Deep Das Gupta joins us again, the former Indian player and commentator, because tomorrow

Deep, it's the start of the IPL, IPL Series 19.

Amazing, isn't it?

It is.

It is.

It is.

Unbelievable.

Don't leave it.

Imagine it's going to be season number 19.

It just seemed like yesterday it all began 2008.

And now we are season 19.

And this is like last couple of years has been a transitional period for IPL as well.

I mean, the original, the OGs, so to say.

I mean, ordered it's mirad and throw it, MS still around.

I think one of the other guys who's still around is from season one is Manish Pandey.

So not barely four of those guys remain who's cleared all 19 seasons.

So yeah.

And yeah.

And yeah, that's very interesting.

And we'll pick on a few of those that are emerging.

I mean, you're right to say, you know, those survivors of the first IPL.

I mean, there must be a lot laughing all the way to the bank as well, because 19 seasons

of IPL revenues is pretty nice.

I'm going to just rename the Indian Premier League, by the way, after last season.

I'm going to rename it the Insane Power League, because there were just some stats here

from 2025, 52 scores over 200.

Yeah.

That's firstly, secondly, 1294 sixes, which is an average of 17 per game.

Incredible.

Nicholas Poragon is own hit 46s in the tournament.

One match between Sunrises and I think point down Kings, no, between Sunrises and the

Roger Sunrises, 528 runs in the match, I mean, astonishing stats generally.

And of course, RCB finally broke their duck on their 19th attempt.

They missed the chance, lost three finals.

I think it was before, certainly two finals before, finally got over the line on the final

day of the season last year, beating Punjab Kings who played really well actually through

the tournament, and being docked pretty dominant, but RCB, with Virat Kohli wearing number 18

in the 18th season of the IPL finally getting the trophy, and this was the winning moment.

And Josh Hayes would actually bolt the final over.

And let's go through the teams, sort of almost in finishing order, and just to sort of pick

out who you think might star that the movers and shakers and who has gone to different teams.

I mean, what are the headlines here?

I mean, one interesting headline, I suppose, just before we get into the order of finishes

last year, is Ravage Adagia, who of course started out at the Rajasthan Royals, the winners

of the first season, 2008, as an 18-year-old and picked out, plucked out from nowhere by Shane

Warren and played a key role in that Rajasthan Royals Trump in 2008.

He's been at the Chennai ever since, almost, CSK, and now he's come back to the Royals.

That's quite an interesting story.

It is.

I mean, one is that, and the other side of that same coin is Sanju moving from RR to Chennai.

And that's again, it's a massive, yeah, Sanju Samson, who, again, has, till now, has

only played for Rajasthan Royals.

So after, I don't know, maybe, 12-13 seasons, I think, came in 2011-12, or something

in 2013.

So almost a decade in Rajasthan Royals, moving over now to Chennai Super Kings.

And yes, Chadeja again, one of the OGs still hanging around.

Yeah, I mean, it's kind of homecoming for Chadeja.

You're talking yours at the start of the podcast about players, laughing all the way to

the bank.

I'm sure they own the banks now, don't they?

They actually own the banks.

So some of them do, yeah, some of like Chadeja would definitely do, and Virat and Ali,

Roy had, yeah, small financing companies.

So we'll look at the two, we'll look at the, all the teams, and now, one point I would

just like to make, actually, I had something I've noticed, the last four seasons, we've

had four different winners, and we've had seven different finalists, and that's kind

of the idea, isn't it, so that you don't, I mean, we have had, kind of, dynasties in

the past, a little bit, you know, CSK and my needs have dominated, but four different

winners.

And last season was a very unusual season, and the RCB won it, but the Punjab kings, I

mean, that was the team that I described as, you know, where everyone goes to die, basically,

because they're so hopeless, pretty hopeless for years and years and years, and they, they

really won it.

So, and that's what I suppose, that's what the competition needs, isn't it, needs that

unexpected story, and that's, and that's what the auction does as well, all the auctions

do is that we distribute the, the players, not totally, not totally, but it does kind of

like try to even things out with them.

Yeah, I mean, that was the, the principle behind Lalit Modi's original design of this

ornament, you know, he went, I mean, I've, I've interviewed him about this a number of

times, and you know, what he did was, he spent time in America watching the American sports,

and obviously they all closed leagues, and so how do you keep the unpredictable outcomes

going?

Well, you create an auction or a draft, and you move the players around, and it can be

quite hard to keep track of it, but we've tried to do that ourselves, and we'll try and

make some sense of it today.

But it's one of the ways of, of creating unpredictable outcomes in a closed league, you don't

want the same teams winning all the time, do you?

And that's been well, you know, sort of exhibited in this tournament, because as you say

in Simon, only, I think only two teams out of the 10 haven't won it, and, and there've

been lots of different winners over the last four parties, Mumbai Indians have dominated

until 2020, and since then, I haven't, haven't won it.

I mean, they're sort of tipped as favourites this year, but yeah, I mean, let's, let's,

let's go back to the top.

So RCB winning, winning it for the first time last year, they're capped in not that well-known,

Roger Pattidhar, but a sort of veteran, he's quite an old experienced player, isn't he,

who's taken over the cap to see from Doni, so sorry, taking over the cap to see from

others, but not from Doni, because Doni is at CSL, but I mean, he's, he's someone who's

not that well, and you thought you'd assume someone like they're at would be capped in,

but actually this chap, Pattidhar has done a pretty good job.

He has actually, and then in his absence, I think, jatation led RCB for a game last season,

and he did well as well.

So I think, see, last year, for the longest time, RCB was very heavy on batting, and because

they play at Chinaswami, they're home ground, which is a very high scoring venue, smaller

venue, a very high altitude as well.

So there are a lot of, it's a very high scoring, so but they're always, if you think about

RCB over the years, you'll, and all the big names that you can think of would always

be battered.

You've got Virat, Chris Kale, ABD Villiers, they've always been fast, they've always been

battered.

So for last couple of years, that focus, and especially the last auction, the big auction,

the focus has kind of changed a little, and now, if you look at that RCB team, it's

a very well-rounded site.

It's not batting heavy anymore.

You have a bowlers like Hazelwood.

Now the big challenge for RCB this season is how do you manage the unavailability of

Josh Hazelwood, and this morning, I woke up to the news that Tosara is not available

either.

He hasn't got N.O.C. from Sri Lankan board.

So how do you manage that, but I think that's going to be the

biggest challenge for RCB, because when they went into the auction, the smaller auction,

which you have every year, they really didn't have any holes, so to say, to fill.

So they went in, they got a couple of players, particularly Null, but then now the challenge

is suddenly Hazelwood not available, Tosara not available.

What do they do with the bowling attack?

I think that is a very big question, because the other Indian bowler who might not be available

for them, they are stuck up at some personal issues as well.

Yeah, so that is going to be the biggest, biggest challenge this season.

So I mean, they've got the batters, as you say, Phil Salt, I mean, we'll focus a little

bit on English players, as this is a primarily an English podcast, and Phil Salt's there,

Jacob Bethel, is there?

He might not get into the side initially, because of the overseas rule, we can only play

four overseas players, and they've got Ramario Shepard as well.

And Jordan Cox actually is at RCB.

Hazelwood doubtful because of injury, which is going to be a huge issue for RCB.

They're six to one to win, so not the favourites, but good odds on them, Simon, how do you

see it?

Well, I think that the bowling is a problem, isn't it?

The Hazelwood issue, yes, dial, not being there.

I mean, I think it will be fascinating to see what sort of impact Bethel can make, whether

he can get in the team, because he was there last year, and there was all that controversy

about him not being available to play for England against Embarbury, because he was on the

IPL, and he had to fulfil his whole IPL contract, didn't play that much, Shetty learned a lot

from the training and the players he was chatting to, sort of off the field.

So A, can he get in the team, B, if he does, where does he bat?

Is he going to be at a bat in the top order?

I've seen some projected lineups, he'd be down at number six.

So yeah, he's one of the emerging stars in the world game, certainly in the English

game.

How does he progress in his second season?

I think that's the sort of interest, I think, from the UK about what, one of the interests

about the RCB team from the UK.

And of course, Andy Flower is the coach there, who's generally regarded probably as the

most successful coach in World Cricket.

I mean, he's certainly won the IPL a couple of times, as well as other tournaments.

And obviously won the Ashes with England, and got them to number one.

So, you know, an impressive guy, very kind of meticulous, and also, I think he's mellowed

a bit.

He was a bit of a bully at times in the past, but I think he's kind of, he's calmed down

a little bit, and he's sort of running that side.

A Punjab King who were authoritarian.

Authoritarian.

Authoritarian, right?

Yeah, maybe bully's a bit too strong.

Well Kevin Peterson thought he was a bully, but who cares what Kevin Peterson thinks?

Punjab Kings, who were the runners up last year, again, a prominent coach, Ricky Ponding,

who I've seen on social media, getting his troops in order and trying to encourage him

to have fun and, you know, focus on fielding and things like that.

I mean, quite an interesting story, Punjab Kings, deep, because they had a couple of relatively

unknown openers, better people at the back, who did pretty well last year, and they're

back again.

Yes.

I mean, Prop Simran was, and I mean, obviously for overseas viewers, he was, but Prop Simran's

been around for a while, and he's had, he really had a good season.

He had a very good domestic season as well, you know, in the domestically 20 and first

class as well.

Prop Simran had a really good season.

He's played for India in the meantime as well.

The other kid, Priyansharya, he's superb.

I mean, I'm sure you guys have watched in bad last season.

He's technically so strong.

He's very good.

He's also had a decent season so far.

Yes, they, I think the biggest change in that dug out or that, that camp is obviously

Ricky Pointing, and they've got one of the most successful captains who have, who still

hasn't won an IPL, but without winning an IPL, the most successful captain in Shia Saiyan.

He's led three different franchises to finals, which is a feat in itself.

It's KKR, Punjab, and Delhi.

So yeah, I think there's a really good combination there of shares and Ricky, and they've, they've

had this combination back in Delhi as well, Ricky as the coach and shares as, as the captain.

So I think they, they make a really good team, and they have good players as well.

They played well.

They've got a few additions.

I really like someone like Cooper Conley.

I think there's a very useful white ball figure there, the Australian youngster.

I think he was under 19 captain couple of World Cups ago, isn't it?

And he's quite a similar sort of cricketer to Jacob Bethel.

He's a left-off leader and a powerful left-hand bat as well, yeah.

Yeah, so I really like him quite a bit.

I think one guy that might miss would be Josh Endless, because that was quite an interesting

episode, because I believe initially he said he's only available for four games, and now

I guess post-oction, he's, he's moved over to a different franchise with a bigger, bigger

fee, and it seems like he's available for more than four games now.

Well, he's not, well, I don't know that he is actually, because he's gone to Luckner Super Giants,

but I read that he's getting married, yes, so he's going to miss some of the early part

of the tournament.

I mean, why would you, why would you schedule your wedding during the IPL, if you're an

IPL player?

That seems quite unusual.

I think his wife, to be, is obviously running the show there, anyway, so he's, he's going

to be a later rival.

I mean, just going back quickly to Punjab kings, Archie Singh, fantastic bowl, a left arm,

you know, brilliant death bowler, and they have also got Juzvenja Chahal, who is all IPL's

all-time leading wicket taker, so kind of quite good, so I was there six to one, sorry,

eight to one, to win, so, you know, not a bad, not a bad wager.

I mean, the obvious favourites, everybody's usual favourites, Mumbai Indians, finished

third last year, haven't won it since 2020, seven to two they are, but with that, that

pair of real wise guys, Dick Pandeer has kept in the Halajai Wardener, my goodness, me's

enjoyed IPL, both as a player and as a coach, hasn't he over the years, and doesn't have

a course.

You have Jaspit Burmra, who last year, his economy rate was 6.7 in the IPL, and over

the last eight years, it's been 7.5, I mean, Burmra is, is almost sort of rubber stamped

as your best bowler in the tournament, isn't he?

Oh yes, I mean, but, but if you look at that side, when, when I make my 11 from that squad,

it is, it is as good as any top international side.

You start from the openers, you are Quintan Dikak Rohit Sharma, three, you got Surya Kumari

Adha, when you have Philak Varma, you have Harvik Pandeer, then comes Viljax, and then

Jaspit Burmra, Trent Pold, the only challenge they might have, a little bit, I mean, and

you have guys like Ryan Rickleton sitting outside, the warming the benches, so, yeah, I mean,

undoubtedly the favorite side, start of the tournament, favorites to win it, I'm not

surprised just looking at those names, they've got to be, and like I said, I mean, they've got

a lot of match winners in their playing 11, they have at least five to six match winners there,

the only challenge they might face, they, they're little shot or little thin as far as spin

goes, they have been, in fact, last couple of seasons, so that's the only area if they're

stuck on a surface where it's gripping a little bit, that's the only area, I guess, they

can get stuck, I don't know. So I've got Viljax and Mitchell Sandner in the side, they do,

they do, but obviously there are two overseas players and they have to manage that with other

overseas players that they might want to, in the middle or whatever, so tricky one, but I mean,

it does look an impressive side, I mean, that batting order, you just think, yeah, Sharma,

Dekok, Tillack, Varma, sorry coming out of, Sherfayne, Rubberford, Sherfayne, Rubberford,

number six, I mean, you're just saying, oh my god, it's a ball was night, man, absolutely,

and remember, one could again, a high scoring venue, gingerly, small, smaller, smaller ground,

smaller venue, yeah, I mean, it's, yeah, they've, they are a gunsite, not always about it.

Bummer's average spell last season, I worked out, it was, I'm talking about four overs,

was 1.5 wickets for 27, I mean, it gives you that real sort of bedrock of confidence,

isn't it, as a captain, I mean, we saw it in that World Cup semi-final against England,

one of the reasons why I saw it at the time, there was never a moment I thought England

were going to win, because you knew that Bummer had two overs to bowl in the last few overs,

you thought, how are they going to score, whatever it was, eight of 70s, five of, yeah, five overs,

you know, with Bummer, two left or whatever it was, you know, at the time.

But one thing, of course, is with a team that looks good on paper at the start,

it does everyone stay fit, so that's, yeah, that's obviously keys, now that can throw your plans

out of the window, if the key players, big, big players, especially as with bombers,

I get injured. Yeah, but when I also look at their bowling attack, odd, odd, they're 11,

they have good backups as well, someone like Cobb and Borsch and Deepok Jahar, all these guys are

there, Ashwini Kumar, the Lifetime Seema, you know, they have good, good backup players as well,

both Indian and overseas, so I think they are well placed in that sense. I mean, some of the other

franchise, you look at they're playing 11, they look really good, but when you look at the bench,

they look a little thin, but when you look at MI, I think as a squad, they have a really, really

good squad. So it's a, I suppose you've been and watched it a lot deep and you know, working on it

as well. Is this a bit of an all-deal, I suppose, in a way, is it to get through? Because it's 74

matches in total, so each team plays what 14, I think, do they? Yes, they do. I mean, so, you know,

it is a pretty, it's the survival of the fittest in a way, is it? Sure. It is due to our great

extent, because generally once the tournament starts as a team, because I've been part of a team as well,

you barely get any opportunity to practice, either you're traveling or you're playing or you're

kind of resting. So I think it becomes really difficult, if you suddenly find yourself a little

out of form during the tournament, it's very difficult to get back into form because you're playing

a game every third day or something, and the travel as you both are aware of in India, they're not

40 minute flights, we're talking about R and a half to R, could even be two and a half hour flights,

if you have to try a flight from Mumbai to Gohati, that's almost three hours. So the flights are

longer as well. So it's never easy, it's never easy. I mean, you spend a lot of time recovering,

and also the time, because you finish games at 11, almost midnight, by the time you reach the hotel,

it's like 2 a.m. in the morning, 1.32 a.m. in the morning, and I can only imagine for the players,

I mean, it's really tough recovering. And even though, you know, I've heard this so many times,

oh, it's just a 20-hour-fot daughter-forty-hour game, but the intensity levels are so high,

it is unbelievable. I mean, even though it is just a 40-hour affair, but it is as intense as

any other format. Yeah, and I'm sure, and the fact that you've got 50,000 or more, 80,000 people

roaring on, and you know, those diving catches over the boundary, you've got to consider every

ball is an event. So, you know, it's 240 events, crammed into 3 in our 4 hours. So it's an amazing

extravaganza, really. Let's just go to one or two other teams. So Goodrat Titans finished 4th,

last year, 17 to 2's, their odds. I mean, interesting pairing there, Shubman Gill and Ashish Nira,

who are two very canny operators. Very. They are, and again, these two guys, they work really well

together. I think Shubman, I think Shubman is a very, very good captain as well. I wouldn't have

said that maybe a couple of seasons ago. I think he's learning and is doing really well as a skipper.

We've seen that him leading the Indian side in both 50 overs and test matches. I think he's

becoming his turning into a really good captain. But again, their challenge would be to a great

extent, their bowling. I mean, even though you've got Syrah, you've got Prasad Krishna, who did

really well last season. One is that. Secondly, is that middle order. I mean, Shurfin Dreda for their

lead go of Shurfin. And I was like, and I asked both, I asked both Parthiv, who's an assistant coach

there. And Ashish, I was like, are you guys sure you want to let him go? Because again, we just found

out how good, I mean, he had a wonderful season last one. And this year as well, he's, he's

batting really, really well. So their middle order is a little bit of a concern, even though they

put some like Tom Bantan, he might come into that position at number four, five, five.

The fastest man on earth, Glenn Phillips. I got him as well.

But Simon, I wonder whether, I mean, you covered quite a bit of the RPL last year, didn't you?

Rashid Khan is in the good rat titan side, who you would have banked on in the past,

saying, right, he's going to type an end and take a couple of wickets and be a key man.

But actually, he's been less effective over the last year or two, isn't he?

Well, he had his worst RPL season, I think last year, statistically. So I mean, he's like,

bummer, isn't he? You think he's a banker? He's a man. He is the ball, and you expect in ball

the spell of one for 25, which over the course of the tournament, average wise, and it didn't happen

last year. And teams got after him a bit. So yeah, so the challenge is there for him, I suppose,

this season. And I wonder where the batters feel they can prey on that, you know, there's a,

it's like like a confidence there, like a belief, and just prey on it and put pressure on him,

just take him on the wall, possibly. I also think he's, he's not the same ball of boosters back

surgery couple of seasons ago. I think the biggest thing about Rashid was his consistency with

his line and length. I think that's where he's erred in the last, I mean, post operation. I mean,

it's never easy to come back after a back surgery. But then that's one area. And, and something else

that I guess you both have noticed is batter is now, earlier on, they go too short, was that

slog sweep, right? A lot of the batters are playing off the back foot and hitting straight over

the bowler's head off the back foot. That same length that you would tend to sweep or slog sweep,

you're playing off the back foot. I think in last six, eight months or last year or so,

you've got more and more batters playing that short. The first time, at least I saw someone playing

it consistently was classin. But then more and more batters have started playing that short

again, spinners, especially the lakes of Sunil Naraan, Veron and Rashid. Yeah, because they

they tend to bowl that sort of slightly shorter length. You know, they're sort of skinny,

skinny spinners that bowl, you can't get down the wicket to them because they're not

tossing it out and bowling full. So they're bowling a bit short of a length, but too quick to kind

of really cut or pull or snap. They worked out, as you say, the dual brevis and one or two others

are playing that back foot, you know, back down the ground shop, which is a really, I jake of

Bethel plays it as well. Very impressive. A shot looks dangerous, but they're playing so well.

Another player who plays it really well, who's sort of rather faded from, you know, kind of

prouder sort of prominence is is just Butler, who's in the Goodrack Titans side now. So opening

pair with him and Si Soudison, who was a big sort of star last year, maybe Goodrack Titans will

see them come come together again, but, you know, Butler obviously had a disappointing

teach any World Cup, so it'd be interesting to see if he recovers his swab. Listen, we've talked

about that the top four sides from last year, we'll take a quick break and then we'll get to the other

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Celsius.com. So, deli capitals finished fifth and they're 10 to 1 to win. This year, one of the

teams who haven't won the IPL, Axa Patel has captain. All the sides have an Indian captain.

For the first time, that comes is captain of sunrises, but he's not going to be there for the first

bit. So each side has an Indian captain and Axa Patel is another kind of wily, wily character,

isn't he? He is, he is, his cricketing IQ is right up there. He comes across as a fun loving,

he keeps smiling all the time, but then behind that, that, that face, he's got a very, very smart

cricketing brain. And I think it's a really good plot to get him as, as the captain of the side.

And also allow him to do his stuff because he's, like I said, he's extremely smart,

but he's at times, you know, what happens because that, I mean, it comes across a image that he has

is fun loving and he's, he's like easy going. They can be a tendency for, let's say the coaches

on support staff to kind of take over a little bit. I think if you let Axa manage the side,

I think he'll do a fabulous job, even though they have some apparent holes in that side,

but I think, you know, Axa can manage this side really well.

They've also got an interesting, well, it's a new camera, I think, to UK audiences,

a fast poll, I keep nabies, I have very good domestic talent in that, and bowls, I'm looking

forward to watching this. He bowls mid-90s, by all the time. It does a bit about him, deep.

Yeah, I mean, he's been around for a while in first class cricket. He's been a very consistent

performer in domestic cricket, but he has this image of being a very strictly red ball bowler,

because he's one of those guys who hits the deck and seems the ball around both in and away

from the right hander. But then, I guess, you know, he's kind of improved his whiteball bowling

as well. He's had a good white ball domestic season and a fabulous red ball season. So, I think,

he's got pace, he's got accuracy. The biggest challenge that he might have is where do you

can he bowl in the death, can he bowl in the last four? That's the challenging bit. I mean,

he's going to be a really good first six-over bowler. I'm pretty sure about that.

And the other challenge would be, they've got quite a few fast bowlers actually,

Delhi Gapkars, both overseas and especially Indian fastballers. So, yeah, and there's a

healthy competition there as far as fastballing buds. He'll learn from Mitchell Stark. I'm sure

who's in that team, isn't he? Actually, that would be an invaluable person for him to try and emulate

if you like. I mean, do you think that's the start though? I mean, do you think pace is almost

a disadvantage on those small Indian grounds because the batters now are so good at either

up a cut, saw ramps or whatever you're using the pace. You know, they just fly even the top

edge flies for six. Unless you are able to, I mean, I think almost deception, which is why

humour is so good, is more valuable than just sheer pace, right? So, one is deception, but

pace, I think if you have the ability to bowl at 145 and 145 plus, then it becomes very, very

different ballgame then because 145 plus, and if you're especially bowling to domestic cricketers

who don't have or not used to playing that pace. And if you can, again, you can get your length

right, you know, for example, let's say Omran Malik a few season ago, Mike, the other couple of

season, quite a few Indian domestic players this season, you'll see who bowl rather quick. So,

you mentioned arcade, there is a show who bowls at 151.52. So, there, I mean, Mank is back,

is fit and Omran is back again, bowling quick. So, I guess yes, deception and all of that,

but I think if you have the ability to bowl at 145 plus, I think even on flat pitches, which

mostly are in the IPL, I think it just brings in a different dimension all together.

Let's move on. We've got five teams to go still. Sunrider's hired a bad captain by Pat Cummins,

although he won't be available early on. The coach Dan Vadori there, who of course is a former

Kiwi left-down spinner. I mean, they're batting. Again, the bowl is graveyard. Travis Head,

Abhishek Sharma, Ishant Kishan, I'm Rick Klauson, and then if you haven't got enough already, Liam

Livingston coming here, potentially 5 or 6. I mean, that's a place to pull a handstring if you're

a far ballerine. Especially the home games, hyperbub. Well, they're kind of, well, they can be a bit

of a hundred or two hundred and eighty for four sort of team, can't they? I mean, they're a bit

all, all nothing. And so, there's always a fascination when you watch Sunrider's bat because you

don't quite know what's going to happen, but I mean, they certainly try to take it on, which is

how they had a good season, the season before last. Well, they probably should have won the,

well, they got hammered in the final, didn't they? Well, they did get bowled out pretty cheaply,

but they were the great entertainers and the high stores as well. Not a nice story about one of

their recruits, David Payne, from your gloss to share, who is claiming as a substitute,

didn't he, as a replacement? And he had a very good big bash. I mean, he's someone who

doesn't get any kind of star dust at all in England, really. Left arm, very kind of good variations,

solid performer is probably somebody who doesn't kind of get huge salaries in English cricket,

but blind me around the world is very sought after. Yeah, I mean, he's a classic T20 baller,

isn't he? Really? He looks, he looks quite innocuous. He's got no, no great place, but he has been

about, he's 35. He's only ever played one match for England, one one day internationals,

all these plates, not played a T20 game for England, but he seems to have success in T20 cricket

leagues around the world. So he's got in because of injury problems. Interesting to see A,

well, A, whether he gets a game and B, whether he gets absolutely smacked everywhere by

avaricious Indian batters in the IPL. Well, I mean, you've got, you've got a baller-like

journal, uh, unad cat. How many of you who was in around probably in the IPL almost for

it from the start, and he's a similar sort of baller left arm, doesn't, looks fairly innocuous.

He's still, uh, getting a gig, uh, wherever he goes. So, you know, good luck to David Payne.

Absolutely. Sunrise is a, uh, uh, nine to one. Uh, so, you know, kind of not particular

favours, but their backing will be certainly something to watch. Then we've got luck,

luck now Super Giants, L, S, G, Rishabh Pantan Justin Langer. There's an interesting pairing as

it happens in his coach. Yeah, and they've got Tom Moody as director of cricket there as well,

because they've got more than one franchise now. Uh, yeah, and, and, so, one thing that I've

been interested to see is where does Rishabh on bat. I think he should bat at three. I think his

position is top of the order. If not open, then at three, uh, obviously won't be opening with

Mitch Marsh and Aiden Mark from there. Again, they're a batting heavy side. They've got a good bowling

unit as well. But again, this, they might end up, I hope they don't face in the same challenge

as last season with most of their bowlers getting injured. Vish Khan, injury prone, Mayank Yadav,

injury prone, they've now traded Mohammed Shami in, in, in, in the squad as well. And obviously he's

coming off a big injury as well. Six, eight months ago, even though he's played regularly domestic

cricket. Yeah, so I think that is, that is their challenge. They've, I think they've got Nokia,

Anrik Nokia as well. Who's coming off an injury himself? All right. So their, their challenge would be

to make sure their bowlers are fit because they've got a really good batting side. I mean, maybe

middle order, a little bit of a question mark there in that middle order low middle order batting

is concerned. But if they, if they do manage to keep the bowlers fit, I think they'll, they'll,

they'll do well. What about KKR then? So KKR got come and green who,

it's a big noise. Big noise. Yeah, he owns the bank as well. He's got, he's bought himself a bank.

Now, two million, wasn't it? Two million pounds, two point three million dollars or something,

but he's not, he's not, he's not been that convincing, has he? I didn't have a great precious

series. So it's going to, obviously, at that, that price tag's great for you, it's great for you

personally, but obviously it brings pressure. They've got the likes of, well, Rahani is their captain,

Rinku Singh Sin Allen. So, you know, some of you, you know, we looked at in the T20 World Cup who

goes after Track of Arti, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they regularly, I'm with it,

Naurain. What's he going to do? It's amazing. I mean, still going for me, isn't he?

In fact, I mean, they, if they have, they have Tim Allen, I said, sorry, Phil Allen and Tim

Seaford to open and then possibly Naurain coming in number three. So, yeah, again, you know,

it's kind of like, it's hard hat area in the crowd, isn't it? Yeah. There's a couple of

ballers down there as well. Harsh Rana and Akash Deet. Oh, yes. They've got Muzer Rahmani in

for, yeah, for who is it? Yeah, they've got Muzer Rahmani in. Oh, for Shakyam. Yeah,

most of his or most of his or most of his or most of his or yeah, because most of his or was blocked from

playing. Yeah. Yeah. So he's a Rahman. So, so he's some Muzer Rahmani is there. But he ran out of

Sopati Rana again. He's injured. So, he's definitely, yeah, he's definitely missing the first

few games for sure. Now, again, they've got a very good side. They've, again, the question is fitness

levels and they're fast bowling because missing out on his and then Harsh Deet Rana to massive blows

because you have these two bowlers who are all face bowlers, new, middle and most importantly

in the death overs. So you miss these two bowlers who were your certain certain first 11 guys.

Then that's their challenge and then Patri Rana as well. So three main bowlers gone. God,

that is, I mean, that's that's going to be their challenge. Yeah. Okay. So we've got two teams to

go. I'm just on Royals. I've put my old Rajasthan Royals behind me there as they're my sort of

probably my second favorite team in the world after middle sex. And I don't know. Well,

we're talking about banks and owning banks and so on. I mean, Rajasthan Royals are laughing

all the way to the bank because they've just sold the franchise. At least it's still to be

cemented, but the story is they've sold the franchise for $1.63 billion, which I worked out given

it was bought for $67 million in 2008. That's a 20 times inflation on the price. So the investors

there, the original investors there, will be very happy if that deal kind of finally goes through

bought by an American Indian businessman and a consortium of people. In fact, RCB are also being

sold. It sounds like for even more a 1.78 billion. So incredible money being traded by

these investors in these franchises. Rajasthan Royals though, I mean, they can't buy

when at the moment they had a terrible season last year, ninth in the table. And they lost

the Sanju Samson to CSK. They lost their coach, David. Ryle Dravid has gone off. And so Sangha

Carl has taken over his coach again. But they have got Ryle Dravid Jadaja back in his old stamping

ground. I mean, is he still someone who has an impact in IPL? That's a good question because

obviously if you look at his IPL seasons or even D20 cricket last two, three years, I guess

obviously he's fallen off the cliff a little bit here. And it's a good opportunity for him to

revive his D20 career. But again, I mean, it's it's going to be challenging. One positive for

someone like Jadaja is the venue, even though it's a good batting surface, but it's a big ground

survive-mancing stadium. There were talks of them moving out of there. So they're still playing

a few games and they're playing in the first few games in Gauhoff and Gohati. In fact, that's my

first game as well. My first game, I think, is CSK Rajasthan and Gohati. But yeah, I mean,

I think what would help Rai San Royals would be his his his his experience. I think that's what

the need with the new captain, Rihanna Parag. I think it's going to be challenging because there

are a lot of guys in that team who are in that age group and could have been captains, right? You

have throughout your real, you have Yasha Swijaswal, who could have been the captain, right? I'm sure

they they do have ambitions of being captain of franchise someday. So I think now the big challenge

for Rihanna himself is pretty young is in his mid 20s. So I think his that is going to be his

big challenge. How does he, you know, keep this team going and keep this team together? But again,

the other side. Yeah. So in fact, I suppose they could also almost see themselves as the sort

of nursery of IPL players. Yeah. I say that not, not without some kind of rhinos because Suriavanshi,

I'm sorry, Vanshi, of course, is there now as well. Now, what is he? How old is he now? We think

probably 15 and a half, maybe 16. 16. Still very young and a Gisewell is a sort of veteran

compared to it, Misnise, he's 24. So, you know, interesting to see how they go,

job archers there as well. So, you know, they've got players, but you sort of feel that they're a team

that are still going to be in transition really. And then finally, CSK, who's really quick. Sorry,

sorry, sorry, yeah, they're really missam current. That's a good point because he's in, yeah,

a very good point of Rajasambh Rao's. Yeah, he's got a groin injury. So he's out for a while.

So CSK finally, Guy Quad, the captain, Stephen Fleming, the coach, Sanju Samson comes in. I mean,

what a great signing that is. And also some power in the middle order, Dill, Bravis,

Brevis and Shibmandu Bay. Wow, you know, there's some strength and power there. But MS Doni,

Simon, still there, aged, how old is he? 103? No, I think he's 100 and five now. He's 105.

Well, they'll still be, they'll still be wheeling him out in about 40 years time,

like I said. But there we go. But the interesting thing here, well, we don't know what role Doni

is going to play. If some talk is going to play, the, you know, the substitute role, the impact

player is that they have brought in a couple of young players and played a lot of money for them.

And from a distance, you can tell me whether this is true or not. They looked like replacements

for Jadaja and Doni. One is a Prashant Veer. He's a 20-year-old slow left arm and all round.

They paid 14.2 crore for him, which translates to something like 1.3 million pounds.

And the same for a Kartik Sharma who's a 19-year-old attacking batter and wicked keeper.

So to me, from a distance, they look like replacements for

aged ages Don, but Doni, in the future, again, whether they'll play,

whether they'd be able to cope with the pressure of playing an IPL, you know, there's a lot of money,

isn't it? There's a lot of money to be paid out for players who are very, very young.

So is that how you see it as well? Are they talking to age replacement?

And then also, if you think about last season or this season before, half-fair through season before,

they've changed how the template of Glen T20 cricket. If you look at CSK, there would be like

171.75 kind of a little more conservative, let me put it this way.

Their approach was like that. But then a couple of seasons ago, start of the season, terrible,

either 1.1 out of 8 or something like that. Then they started moving towards a more modern way

of playing this format. And hence, you see those changes. Somewhere like you mentioned

Prashantveer, I mean, he's not just a left-hung spinners, his trichrade in T20 domestic is 165 plus

somewhere there. So he's like, like you rightly said, maybe a like-for-like change for jadeja,

you know, somebody who's more of an all-rounder, not just a left-hung spinner,

and same with Kartik as well. Even though they don't need a wicket keeper, so to say, they already have

someone like Sanju, he's got a few years left. But even with Kartik, I mean, he's got a wonderful

strike rate as well. I mean, he's a good batter. So it's the most exciting team or team to

watch out for this season for me would be CSK with some really exciting youngsters and brev gun.

And obviously, guys like brev is in all coming. It's Sanju Samson. How will he slot into that,

that dressing room? And obviously, I'm still around. I think, yeah, I mean, that's quite an exciting

team and I mean, that would be my team to watch out for. Right. Okay. Interesting.

Well, that's so that's exciting. I mean, just as an overview, and I mentioned at the start that,

you know, you could rename this the insane power league, impact player. The impact player has had a

big difference, made a big difference, and probably CSK was slow to cotton onto that, because you

can bring in a player at some point. They don't have to nominate before the start of play.

That usually is a batter. It just gives you a bit more depth if you lose early wickets.

It does. And I'm not a big fan of this ruler, be honest. And I've been saying that from day one,

because it just takes away the role of the all rounder and also eases the role of the captain.

How do you manage your fifth and the sixth boiler? How do you get them to bowl their coat off

a couple of hours or something like that? How do you manage length in your batting? Why keeping

the bowling intact? You know, I think it's, I mean, for all practical reasons, suddenly, it's a

12 player squadener or teamener, not 11. So I'm not a big fan, but yeah, I mean, one thing it does

is, is like you said, if you lose early wickets, you know, it still is, is you can still make it

more interesting getting a new batter. I mean, it brings in a different sort of tactical

aspect to the game. But again, one thing it doesn't help is the fact that it doesn't help the

all rounders and it doesn't help Indian cricket per se because one thing that we've struggled

in the last few years is getting specially seen bowling all rounders. And and a rule like this

does not help that cause. No, just just as a final thought, you know, what's it like to work on it?

What's it like to be in India? Because we're slightly detached from it here, obviously in England.

We watch it on the tally, but you know, what, what's give us a sense of what it's like for India?

Okay, it's like, it's, it's, it's like two months of Christmas here.

Right. So like 25th December for two months in India because everything stops, nothing happens

apart from IPL. So all the product launches, major companies that happen during that period and

around cricket. If it's not around cricket, there won't be launches. None of the big movies are

released during that period because, you know, nobody wants to watch movies that during that. So I

think it is, it is absolutely crazy. I mean, those two months, it is nothing but IPL and everything

around IPL because IPL and, and I'm sure you've heard this term before cricket statement. It's

not just cricket because you have the usual viewers of cricket who would watch them, but you have

this completely different subset who usually won't watch cricket, but would watch IPL. So it is,

it is absolutely crazy and yeah, I mean, it's, but it is an amazing machinery. It works like

clockwork. I mean, are you both have experienced it? It is chaos, but there is so much of

method. You know where you're going. You know what happens or whatever it's so on and so forth.

And it's a huge industry in itself. I mean, it obviously leave aside the players and the team

itself, but anyone who's connected, right, with the game and on an average, I believe around 10,000

people are directly or indirectly connected with every game, apart from the spectators. So it is.

The stage team's coaching staff, isn't it? I mean, I have like, have a throw down specialist

for each type of delivery. Never mind, you know, coaching for batting and bowling. I mean,

it's fantastic. I envy you for being there. I mean, it is pretty full on, isn't it? But it's

a bit like sport and circus combined, actually. I mean, it is great, Simon, isn't it? It's not

kind necessarily our thing here in England, but it is, it's an amazing experience, isn't it,

if you're there? Extravagams are really. Yeah, I mean, I haven't been to India when the IPR has been

on. I think I've worked out, I spent about a year of my life in India watching cricket, but not

when the IPL has been on. I'm a bit concerned that deep sense is a bit like Christmas every day,

because I think Christmas should be every four years, not every one year. But that's just my,

yeah, you've had a true, aren't you? Well, it's not that I just, it's all, it's all,

sorry, I miss Christmas Eve though. I mean, Christmas, obviously, everything then, yeah,

more like Christmas Eve. No, it's, anyway, but it's, it is, I, well, I love, I love the start of

the IPL. I think it then has probably from the UK perspective has a bit of a flag in the middle,

while you, you know, well, teams are jogging in position and then it ramps up again, and then

you get to the big matches towards the, towards the back end. And what I find interesting is the

new players, so that's one of one of the reasons we talked about some of the new players that are

coming in today, just seeing how they get on. And it all has three or four great stories as well,

redemption or players who are falling away or struggling. And yeah, and the learning curve for,

especially the young players is incredible, isn't it? Because there's so many brilliantly talented

cricketers and coaches and experts knocking around to, to pick brains. So it's a wonderful sort of

brain storm of cricket, really. Okay, final thought then, who's going to win it?

Listen again, looking at on Beeper, the squad, am I for me?

Yeah, one of the Indians, okay, Simon.

Well, last year I wrote off a RCB after watching their first game, and I also said there's no way

Pundab Kings could win it. So I'm not very reliable, a predictor of the IPL. What I'm going to say

is that Delhi capitals can't win it, like super giants can't win it, and Rajasthan Royals can't

win it. Yeah, I'm going to go along with that. So those three teams won't, won't win it is what I'm

going to say. No, I'm going to, I'm going to change the, um, change the direction of a lifetime,

and I'm going to go for Pundab Kings this year to go what, to go one step further. Okay.

Um, it'll mean, it'll probably mean they're finished bottom of the group like they normally do.

I will, we will hold you to that. Ricky Ponding will be very happy that you said that.

I'm going to go Mumbai Indians actually, uh, just because I just think that that strength in

depth is, is impressive. And obviously, they look like, they look like, they look like, yeah,

I, I, I, I don't want to, I don't want to be able to, and also, you know, they'll be hungry,

having not won it for five years or so, and those Ambani's will be jumping up and down,

championing it the bit to, to win it. So, uh, yeah, then my favorites, they're seven to two,

actually. So what we're going to do is we'll call a close there, but we will, uh, be back to

comment on the IPL periodically, probably once a week. We might even do a bit of live commentary

on the end of games. So watch out for that on this channel. Deep, save travels and we'll be back

in touch with you when you're in India. And Simon and I will be talking County cricket

early next week with Matt Pryor. So thanks everyone for listening and see you again soon.

Thanks for listening, goodbye for now.

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